


April Twenty-Third

by whatdoyoumeanionlygetoneotp



Series: Shorts/One Shots [6]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, James Bond References, John in Afghanistan, Long Distance Relationship, M/M, Phone Calls, Proposals, References to Shakespeare, dialogue only, dog references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 07:28:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5700031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatdoyoumeanionlygetoneotp/pseuds/whatdoyoumeanionlygetoneotp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John is back in Afghanistan. Sherlock is checking off his calendar. They talk on the phone a lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	April Twenty-Third

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer - I know nothing about the army. This is just meant to be cute.

"Did you land on time?"

 

"Yeah, flight was fine." 

 

"And they picked you up?"

 

"They picked me up."

 

"Did you eat?"

 

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" 

 

"..." 

 

"Did you?" 

 

"Not hungry..." 

 

"Sherlock..."

 

"How is it?" 

 

"... Dusty. Same as last time I suppose." 

 

"Do you know any of them?" 

 

"A few. Yes, mum, I'm making friends." 

 

"I wasn't trying to..." 

 

"I know. It's a joke." 

 

"Hard to tell over the phone." 

 

"I know a few of them. Don't worry about me." 

 

"I wasn't." 

 

"Well don't worry about them, then." 

 

"I'm not worried." 

 

"Don't be." 

 

"I'm not."

 

"I'll be fine." 

 

"Don't get shot." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"When are you coming back?"

 

"You know when I'm coming back. You've got a calendar telling you when I'm coming back..." 

 

"I want to hear you say it." 

 

"...April twenty-third. St George's day. Okay?" 

 

"Okay. Hm." 

 

"What?"

 

"I didn't know it was St. George's Day. Does anyone even celebrate it?" 

 

"Well, you have to at least a tiny bit. Be a bit unpatriotic not to, wouldn't it?" 

 

"That's so you." 

 

"What is?" 

 

"For England, Harry, and St. George." 

 

"...Let's not talk abut why I'm out here, yeah?" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What if I trashed the flat while you were away?" 

 

"As long as I still had you and a bed to come home to I doubt I'd mind so much." 

 

"You say that now, what if I painted all the walls bright yellow?"

 

"It'd look nice when the sun sets."

 

"Bright pink."

 

"I trust Mrs Hudson to stop you." 

 

"What if I get bee hives?" 

 

"In NW1? I think the council might have something to say about that..." 

 

"I wouldn't ask them."

 

"We don't have a garden."

 

"What if I get a puppy?"

 

"A puppy? You like dogs?"

 

"Yes. I had a puppy when I was a kid."

 

"Huh." 

 

"What?"

 

"I would've said you were more of a cat person."

 

"Don't be ridiculous." 

 

"You like me ridiculous." 

 

"No, I like Irish setter puppies." 

 

"Okay. What would you call it?" 

 

"I don't know yet. Something you'd hate."

 

"What would I hate?" 

 

"I'll figure it out." 

 

"Sherlock if you really want a puppy we can get one."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yeah, we can go to Battersea or something when I get back and get one together." 

 

"Another thing I have to wait for." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hi." 

 

"Hi. How is it?" 

 

"It's fine. It's how I thought it would be." 

 

"Is it different without James?" 

 

"Of course." 

 

"Do you miss him?" 

 

"Well, yeah..." 

 

"I can have Mycroft stalk his files if you want." 

 

"I'm fine, you don't have to do that. As long as he's alive I'm happy." 

 

"He is. I already checked that before calling. I'd know if he wasn't." 

 

"You're so..."

 

"So?"

 

"Extraordinary." 

 

"So you miss me too then?" 

 

"Of course I miss you, you idiot." 

 

"You're the idiot." 

 

"Okay." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Is it worth it?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"You being out there. Is it worth it? Do you want to be there?"

 

"It's not a case of wanting."

 

"What is it a case of?"

 

"Sherlock, we've been through this, let's not..."

 

"How many people did you save this week?"

 

"Well... Depends on the criteria for saving."

 

"How many people have you sent to hospital who wouldn't have got there without you?"

 

"Uh... I guess five..." 

 

"Five. So it's worth it then."

 

"You know I think so." 

 

"..."

 

"It is. I'm coming back, you know."

 

"And then they'll want you again, and again, and..."

 

"Please let's not spend our phone minutes fighting..." 

 

"I miss you." 

 

"I know you do. I know, and believe me I miss you so much too, I do. It's bad enough without you guilt tripping me." 

 

"I'm not guilt tripping..."

 

"Yes you are. I miss you too, but they need me, it's worth it." 

 

"...As long as you think so..." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You know they say 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'?" 

 

"I do know, believe it or not." 

 

"Well, you might have deleted it." 

 

"I haven't." 

 

"Do you think it's true?" 

 

"...I don't know..." 

 

"Me neither..." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"How was your day?" 

 

"Dug some shrapnel out of my mate Harry's leg. You?"  

 

"Chased a drug lord across half of Chelsea." 

 

"Normal then?" 

 

"Fairly." 

 

"Drug lord?" 

 

"He didn't sell me anything." 

 

"That's not what I..."

 

"That's what you were going to." 

 

"...Did you go pass the ground?"

 

"Ground?" 

 

"Football"

 

"Oh, yes, I went into it. I found the managers office." 

 

"...Tell me" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hi, sorry I'm..." 

 

"I'm in bed." 

 

"Right now? I should hope so it's like three am there..." 

 

"I was in bed waiting for you to call." 

 

"I'm sorry, the guy before took ages..."

 

"John, listen... Can you hear that?"

 

"...Yes, but I don't think..."

 

"Shhh, just listen... I'm talking quietly so you can hear this too... Can you?" 

 

"Yes, I can hear..." 

 

"..."

 

"Sherlock, maybe this..."

 

"Please, just... can you hear that? I'm doing it for you, I want to do this for you..."

 

"I know you do, love, and thanks but... This is a public phone." 

 

"..."

 

"And you might not mind but I kind of do. There's people behind me. And we can't eat into someone else's time."

 

"...I can be quick."

 

"Hmmhm I know you can, but i don't know if you can be four minutes quick." 

 

"Four minutes?" 

 

"That's not a challenge."

 

"We only get four minutes?"

 

"Yeah. Sorry." 

 

"I only wanted..."

 

"I know. I'm sorry... I just..."

 

"It's fine. I understand."

 

"..."

 

"I might think about it, later, about you. When they're not here, later..."

 

"I think about you all the time." 

 

"...Me too..." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I have to hang up..." 

 

"Please don't hang up."

 

"I have to, don't make it worse." 

 

"..."

 

"I love you."

 

"...Don't get shot" 

 

"Wouldn't dare." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"How's the weather over there?"

 

"Terrible as always. And yours?" 

 

"Hot. Dusty. Much the same." 

 

"...Let's not talk about the weather." 

 

"I could listen to you talk about anything." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"So I'm just worried that Daniel isn't up to it any more, and obviously Idris Elba would be brilliant, but he's not getting any younger either... I mean he's still a bit of a lady killer but he'd only be able to do one or two films..." 

 

"Hmmm..."

 

"Also I don't know how they're going to come back from the ending in Spectre - either the girl's got to do more than one film which is a bit weird or she's got to die and that just leaves us with more of Daniel's man pain which is taking up valuable explosion and car chase screen time..." 

 

"Hmm..."

 

"Sorry, I know you don't care." 

 

"I don't mind listening."

 

"You don't have any opinion?" 

 

"Not really" 

 

"But you like James Bond." 

 

"No I don't. Says who?" 

 

"You've seen every film."

 

"You're ridiculous." 

 

"..."

 

"...I don't think they should cast anyone you think is attractive." 

 

"Oh my God, you're next level sometimes, and normally I'm the jealous one..." 

 

"I'm not watching another film with you gawking." 

 

"I don't gawk." 

 

"You do." 

 

"Well... Yeah I mean there's explosions and gadgets..."

 

"And girls. It's bad enough having one attractive protagonist, I don't think they should cast another." 

 

"He's supposed to be attractive. Guys want to be him, girls want to date him, that's the point." 

 

"You want to date him."

 

"You were the one who got so defensive about Sean Connery..." 

 

"...He just seems underrated is all..." 

 

"Mmhm." 

 

"Shut up." 

 

"How about another marathon when I get back?" 

 

"You want to watch them all _again?_  "

 

"You can chose, okay?" 

 

"Okay... Doctor No." 

 

"Ohhh, Honey Ryder, good choice..." 

 

"Shut up." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Any good work?" 

 

"Nothing very good." 

 

"Is it taking you longer?" 

 

"Hm?"

 

"Without my incredible conductive abilities." 

 

"Yes, actually, I'll thank you not to rub it in." 

 

"Wait, yes? It really is?" 

 

"How many times do I have to tell you you're valuable to my work?" 

 

"I just thought you were being nice..." 

 

"You thought _I_ was being nice?" 

 

"...I don't know why I thought that." 

 

"You help me think." 

 

"I've heard you call me distracting on at least six occasions." 

 

"Well you're distracting too sometimes. The fact that you're not here is distracting."

 

"I'm sure you'll manage. Greg can shoot nearly as well as me." 

 

"And make just as good stupidly obvious comments." 

 

"Yeah I really don't know why I thought you were being nice..." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But the clerk was lying - no one noticed the piercing. He wasn't allergic at all. And with that disproved he was the only person left with both means and motive. Simple enough really."

 

"..."

 

"John? Are you still there?"

 

"...You're so brilliant."

 

"...Thank you."

 

"I mean it."

 

"I know you do." 

 

"You're so clever and amazing and I'm so lucky." 

 

"...I love you too... When are you coming home?"

 

"April twenty-third." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Are you ever on the phone alone?" 

 

"Well I can hardly take it out of the room, that's a bit dodgy..." 

 

"...They better be appreciating your hands over there." 

 

"I'm sure they are." 

 

"Your mouth. Your arms. Hair. Eyes. I miss your eyes." 

 

"Hmm..."

 

"Back. Tongue..."

 

"Public phone..."

 

"What? I'm only saying..." 

 

"...Go on."

 

"Shoulders." 

 

"Hmm..."

 

"Your stomach."

 

"You like my stomach?" 

 

"I like almost all of you." 

 

"Almost?" 

 

"Well, nobody's perfect." 

 

"You're pretty damn close." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Met anyone?"

 

"Oh, but I'm the one who's 'next level'..."

 

"I'm just wondering." 

 

"No. You?" 

 

"Definitely not... I'm not bringing a date back." 

 

"You better not. We're going to have spectacular reunion sex and I don't want anyone in the way." 

 

"To think there was once a time I thought you wouldn't want that." 

 

"To think there was a time I thought I didn't want you." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I can't do this." 

 

"Please don't say that..." 

 

"I can't - I'm going insane."

 

"You were insane already." 

 

"Ask Lestrade if you don't believe me." 

 

"I do believe you... Please don't use anything." 

 

"I'm not." 

 

"Okay. Don't, will you?" 

 

"I just told you I'm not." 

 

"Promise?" 

 

"You sound like my brother." 

 

"Promise." 

 

"I won't... I promise."

 

"Thank you."

 

"I just miss you..." 

 

"I know. I'm coming back though. I am coming back. Really soon. And then it'll all be okay. Okay?" 

 

"Okay."

 

"Just a bit longer."

 

"A bit."

 

"I'll come back and be with you and love you and marry you and it'll all be okay." 

 

"..." 

 

"...Okay?" 

 

"You said..."

 

"I have to go." 

 

"No, wait, you said..."

 

"I have to go." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hey." 

 

"Hello. Yes."

 

"Yes?" 

 

"I assume you're pretending you didn't say what you said last week." 

 

"What did I say last week?"

 

"I knew it."

 

"No, seriously..."

 

"Seriously: yes." 

 

"Yes what?" 

 

"Last week you said you wanted to come home and marry me. Yes. Yes, please do that." 

 

"Wait, I said that?" 

 

"Yes you did. Does the offer still stand?" 

 

"You want to get married?" 

 

"Is that not obvious - how many times to I have to say yes to you?"

 

"One more time." 

 

"Yes." 

 

"Oh my God... Did we just get engaged over the phone?" 

 

"Yes we did." 

 

"Oh my God..."

 

"You said."

 

"Christ I... I'm so happy..."

 

"Me too." 

 

"Can I tell them? The others?" 

 

"I... Well, yes, I don't mind. Why do you want to?" 

 

"I want to tell everyone. Guys, GUYS! I just got engaged!! God, someone get me a drink... Someone get the bloody major, I'll tell him too!" 

 

"...I love you." 

 

"I love you too, fiance." 

 

"That sounds nice." 

 

"I knew you'd think that. I'm forbidding you now from changing our answer phone message." 

 

"You can't stop me." 

 

"No, but I can cancel the cake last minute or buy a tie that doesn't match yours." 

 

"...You wouldn't..." 

 

"Wouldn't I? Oh God, we've got to actually get married now..." 

 

"That is generally what happens when you ask someone and they say yes."

 

"I can't quite believe you did." 

 

"Why wouldn't I? Now we just have to pick a date... Spring." 

 

"How does April twenty-fourth sound to you?" 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> St George's Day is to celebrate St George who is the patron saint of England (and some other places apprently which I didn't know). No one really does anything for it over here. Well I'm sure some people do, I see some flags around, it's not majorly important to most people though. 'England, Harry, and St George' is from Shakespeare's Henry V. There is a famous cats and dogs home in Battersea. For some reason the line spacing is extra big today. idk why. sorry. 
> 
>  
> 
> [tumblr :)](http://whatdoyoumeanionlygetoneotp.tumblr.com/)


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